Street-indicator for cars



(No Model) C. H.v MILLER'.

STREET INDICATOR FOR GARS.

Patented Mar. 1,1887.

RRQ? mb@ m v -Illl E N, PETERS. Photo-Liuwgnpher. wanhngun. n c.

NrTnn STATES -ATENT' OFFICEOv CHARLES H. MILLER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

STREET-INDICATOR FOR CARS.

EPECPICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,467, dated March 1, 1887.

Application filed October S, 1886. Serial No.215,669.

inders or rolls actuated by an intermittentlyf revolving mechanism, by which each name is brought to view in succession, and which is capable of being reversed at the will of the operator, in order that the naines may be correctly shown as the car passes back and forth over the line. y

In the drawings vwhich form part of this specification, Figure 1 is an end elevation of myimprovement, showing the operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

2 represents the frame or casing of the register, which supports the shafts 3 of the cylinders or rolls 4, and is provided with an opening, 5, on its face, through which the name of the street is shown. This opening is preferably covered by a glass plate to protect the mechanism in the casing. The shafts 3 extend through the ends of the casing and are mounted in suitable bearings therein. The mode of attachment which I have shown and which I prefer is to form slots 7 in each end of the case at the -proper distance apart for the rolls, and extending from one edge of the end to the center or to the point of location of the shaft. By this means I am enabled to readily insert or remove the rolls. in the slot back of the shaft, and secured to the case to hold the said shaft in place.

The cylinders or rolls 4 are secured to the shaft by suitable means and located between the bearings. The shafts at one end project beyond the bearings. The upper shaft is provided with a spur-pinion, 11, and the lower Vshaft with a spur-pinion, 13, substantially of the same size. An idlergear, 15, revolves upon a stud fastened in the end of the casing,

and is arranged to mesh with the pinion 11.

venient means.

A stop, 9, may be placed- (No mollrlfl 17 is a plate secured to the casing by a piv'ot, 19. This plate carries a stud, 20, upon which a spur-gear, 2l, revolves. This gear is of substantially the same size as the idler l5, and is so located with reference to the other gears -that it may be brought into mesh with either the pinion 13 or the idler-gear 15 by moving the plate 17 upon its pivot. be operated to effect this result by any con- That which I employ is as follows:

The plate 17 extends beyond the circumference of the gear, and its extremity is slotted to receive the eccentric 23, which turns upon a pin, 24, secured tothe casing. A handle, 25, upon the eccentric provides means for operating it. When the throw of the eccentric is down, the plate 17 is in its lowest position and the gear 2l engages the pinion 13. When the throw of the eccentric is up, the plate is in its highest position and the gear 2l engages the idler 15. Stops may be placed upon the end of the casing at the limit of the movement of the plate, in order that the eccentric may The plate 17 may bind at the two extremes of its motion and prevent it from being accidentally turned.

26 is an alarm-bell located upon the plate 17, and arranged to be struck by a springhammer, 28. The arm of this hammer comes in contact with the teeth of the gear 2l, and as the gear revolves the hammer strikes the bell.

27 is a ratchet attached to and concentric with the gear 2l, preferably cast in one piece therewith.

29 is a lever, preferably fulcrumed upon the pivot-bolt19,and provided with a spring-pawl, 30, adapted to engage the ratchet 27. A spring, 31,.is attached to this lever and to the casing, for the purpose of raising the said lever to its original posit-ion after it has been forced down to operate the ratchet. The end of the lever preferably extends through the end of the car to be within convenient reach of the driver or conductor, and may, if required, be provided with a cord or depending rod and handle. y

33 is a ribbon of paper or other suitable ma* terial wound upon the rolls 4, one end being attached to the upper and the opposite end attached to the lower of said rolls. This ribbon names of the streets to be indicated. The spacing ofthe names upon the ribbon must be in relative proportion to'the travel of the circumference of the cylinders or rolls 4, and the length may be varied to snit the number of names required.

35 are frietionsprings on the inside of the end casing and bearing against the end of each roll to give them the proper tension to keep the ribbon straight.

The operation is as follows: The ribbon, which has been properly printed to correspond with the streets to be indicated, is placed in the casing, and at starting will be wound upon one of the rolls and properly adjusted to bring the name ofthe rst street opposite the opening in the casing. For convenience in the description, it will be considered that it is wound upon the top roll. The train of gears will then be in the position shown in Fig. 1. As a street is passed the lever 29 is forced down. and the pawl 30 engages the ratchet and partially revolves it and the gear 21, connected thereto. This in turn gives a partial revolution to the pinion 13 and the shaft and cylinder connectedtherewith, thus drawing the ribbon onto the lower roll and nnwinding it from 'the other, and showing the name of the next street at the opening 5. AS this operation of the lever is performed the bell-hammer, actuated by the gear teeth, strikes the bell and draws attention to the fact that the change has been made. rlhis operation is repeated upon leaving each street until the terminus of the road is reached. The eccentric 23 is now turned so as to bring the gear 2l into engagement with the idler 15, thus reversing the motion of the ribbon by the same operation of the lever. On the return trip the same operation is carried out, except that the ribbon is wound upon the opposite roll and the streets will be indicated in the reverse order.

Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination, in a street-indicator, with the rolls provided with the gears 11 and 13 and the indicating-ribbon, of the idler 15, meshing with the gear l1, the pivoted plate 17, the gear 21, mounted on said plate and adapted to be moved to engage with either of siid gears 11 or 13, the ratchet, the operating- 5o lever, andthe eccentric 23, engaging said plate 17, and adapted to move it and lock it in engagement with either of said gears, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a street-indicator, 55 with the rolls provided with the indicating ribbon andthe gears 11 and 13, of the idler 15, adapted to engage one of said gears, the pivoted plate 17, having the yoke at its end, the gear 21, mounted on said plate, the lever 29, 5c mounted on the pivot of said plate, the ratchet 27, pawl 30, and the eccentric 23, for moving said plate, substantially as described` and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 6 my hand this 4th day of October, 1886.

CHARLES H. MILLER. ln presence of It. H. SANFORD, A. M. GAsKELL. 

